Battery support assembly and method with a diverging flow path

Abstract

An exemplary battery support assembly includes a bladder device with a pocket that receives at least one battery cell of a traction battery. The bladder provides a fluid flow path that diverges at an end of the pocket into a first section on a first side of the pocket and a second section on an opposing, second side of the pocket. An exemplary battery support method includes moving a flow of fluid along a fluid flow path toward at least one battery cell; and diverging the flow into a first or second section of the fluid flow path such that the flow moves along opposing sides of the at least one battery cell.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery support assembly, comprising:
 a bladder device with a pocket that receives at least one battery cell of a traction battery, the bladder providing a fluid flow path that diverges at an end of the pocket into a first section on a first side of the pocket and a second section on an opposing, second side of the pocket. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the end is a first end, and the first section and the second section converge at an opposing, second end of the pocket. 
     
     
       3. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one battery cell within the pocket, the bladder is circumferentially distributed about an entire perimeter of the at least one battery cell. 
     
     
       4. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one battery cell within the pocket, the bladder and the at least one battery cell compressed against each other. 
     
     
       5. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder device is a first bladder device, and further comprising a second bladder device, wherein fluid is communicating to the first bladder device and the second bladder device from a common input conduit. 
     
     
       6. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder device diverges at a fluid inlet to the first section and a fluid inlet to the second section, and the bladder device converges at a fluid outlet from the first section and a fluid outlet from the second section. 
     
     
       7. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bladder device is expandable and contractible. 
     
     
       8. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump that moves a fluid through the fluid flow path. 
     
     
       9. The battery support assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump upstream from where the fluid flow path diverges. 
     
     
       10. The battery support assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one battery cell within the pocket, the at least one battery cell having a terminal side with a terminal, and a plurality of other sides aligned traverse to the terminal side, the first side of the pocket and the second side of the pocket are positioned along the other sides of the battery cell. 
     
     
       11. A battery support method, comprising:
 providing a bladder device with a pocket that receives at least one battery cell;
 within the bladder device, moving a flow of fluid along a fluid flow path toward the at least one battery cell; and 
 
 diverging the flow into a first or second section of the fluid flow path such that the flow moves along opposing sides of the at least one battery cell. 
 
     
     
       12. The battery support method of  claim 11 , further comprising converging flow from the first and second sections together and moving the flow away from the battery cell. 
     
     
       13. The battery support method of  claim 11 , further comprising transferring thermal energy between the fluid and the battery cell to manage thermal energy within the at least one battery cell. 
     
     
       14. The battery support method of  claim 11 , further comprising circumferentially surrounding the at least one battery cell with the fluid flow path. 
     
     
       15. The battery support method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one battery cell is at least one first battery cell, and further comprising using a first peristaltic pump to selectively increase or decrease the flow, and using a second peristaltic pump to selectively increase or decrease a flow to another fluid flow path that diverges to move along opposing sides of at least one second battery cell. 
     
     
       16. The battery support method of  claim 15 , further comprising increasing or decreasing the flow with the first peristaltic pump in response to a sensed condition from the at least one first battery cell, and separately increasing or decreasing the flow with the second peristaltic pump in response to a sensed condition from the at least one second battery cell. 
     
     
       17. The battery support method of  claim 11 , wherein the bladder device is a flexible bladder device. 
     
     
       18. The battery support method of  claim 11 , wherein expansion of the at least one battery cells forces fluid out of the first and second section. 
     
     
       19. The battery support method of  claim 11 , further comprising moving the flow of fluid between a fluid supply and the first and second sections, and estimating a condition of the at least one battery cell based on an amount of fluid within the fluid supply. 
     
     
       20. The battery support method of  claim 11 , further comprising supporting the at least one battery cell with the first and second sections.